St. Regis Monarch Beach/Arthouse Feature/Iliana & Sebastian
February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Elysium Productions
Today's guest blogger is Iliana. Iliana and Sebastian's intimate gathering was filled with those who love them most. Here is their beautiful day with a few tips from Iliana...------------------------------------------------------------------
how did you meet?
WE FIRST MET IN CHICAGO WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO GRADUATE
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS WHERE WE WERE BOTH COMPLETING OUR MBA DEGREES.
SEVERAL YEARS AFTER GRADUATION, SEBASTIAN MOVED FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW
YORK CITY. AFTER INSISTENT BEGGING, SOME MINOR BRIBERY (ON SEBASTIAN'S
PART), ON MARCH 18TH OF 2007 ILIANA MOVED FROM CHICAGO AND INTO A TRIBECA
APARTMENT WITH SEBASTIAN IN THE BIG APPLE.
AFTER ALMOST 8 MONTHS OF PLANNING, SCHEDULING, MANEUVERING, COMMISSIONING,
APPRAISING AND SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING THE ONSLAUGHT OF HER BEST FRIENDS'
EFFORTS AND SNOOPING, SEBASTIAN PROPOSED TO ILIANA ON NOV 16TH 2007 IN THE
PRESIDENTAIL SUITE OF THE HOTEL DE CRILLON IN PARIS, FRANCE. THE TRIP WAS
REALLY THE RESULT OF A RUSE TO GET AN UNKNOWING ILIANA UNDER THE SAME ROOF
WITH SEBASTIAN SO THAT HE COULD PROPOSE TO HER. THE GUISE WAS A LAST MINUTE
WORK TRIP THAT HAD UNFORTUNATELY MESSED UP THE YOUNG COUPLE'S TRAVEL PLANS
TO ATTEND A CLOSE FRIEND'S WEDDING IN MEXICO.
INSTEAD OF A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND IN MEXICO, SEBASTIAN OFFERED ILIANA, IF SHE
WANTED, TO COME WITH HIM TO SPEND A QUICK BUSINESS-RELATED WEEKEND IN PARIS.
THE GIG WAS ALMOST UP UPON ARRIVAL AFTER SOME 'CONSPICUOUS', UNINTENTIONALLY
OVER-THE-TOP PRIVATE ESCORTING THROUGH DE GALLE AIRPORT & CUSTOMS AND BEING
CHEUFFERRED THROUGH THE CITY. SOON AFTER CHECK-IN THE YOUNG MAN PROPOSED TO
HIS WIFE-TO-BE AND THE REST IS NOW HISTORY (SHE SAID YES).]
what was your favorite part about wedding planning?
[THE PLANNING PROCESS IS LIKE WORKING OUT - YOU HATE IT AT FIRST BUT THEN AS
YOU START SEEING SOME RESULTS, YOU GET PRETTY JAZZED ABOUT DOING IT; BECAUSE
EVERYTHING WE WERE DOING WAS LONG DISTANCE IT WAS PRETTY TOUGH COORDINATING
EVERYTHING; THE BEST PART WAS TAKING OUR SWEET TIME WITH IT AND COMING OUT
TO CALIFORNIA TO VISIT THE PROPERTY AND THE VENDORS SEVERAL TIMES - THIS WAS
NOT ONLY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL WAS GOOD, BUT IT CREATED A SWEET ANTICIPATION
OF HOW THE LOCATION WOULD TRANSFORM TO HOLD ALL THOSE GREAT PEOPLE ON THAT
ONE DAY ... IT WAS A BIG TEASE]
how did you decide on the venue?
[WE WANTED TO GET MARRIED APPROX 1 YEAR AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT AND SO WE
SETTLED ON NOV 15TH 2008 ... BUT WHEN WE WERE IN PARIS IN NOV 2007, IT WAS
AS COLD AS MOSCOW, SO WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON SOMEWHERE WARM WHERE WE COULD
ENJOY SOME R&R WITH OUR GUESTS; WE MADE A SHORTLIST OF 5 OR 6 HOTELS/RESORTS
IN CA AND ONCE WE REACHED THE 3RD ONE, WE KNEW WE WERE DONE - THIS WAS THE
ST. REGIS RESORT AT DANA POINT.]
what kind of personal touches did you add to your event?
[BECAUSE WE HAD ONLY THE CLOSEST OF CLOSEST FRIENDS & FAMILY ATTENDING THE
WEDDING, MY HUSBAND CREATEDA SLIDESHOW THAT INCLUDED ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE AT
THE PARTY; HE TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF REELS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, THE INTERNET AND
PHOTOSHOT; MOST OF THE PICTURES WERE EITHER OF HUMEROUS EVENTS OR SOMEWHAT
'COMPROMISING' BUT IT SET THE MOOD FOR THE RECEPTION AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL
CHRONICAL OF OUR HISTORY TOGETHER WIHT EACH OTHER AND OUR FAMILIES AND
FRIENDS ... IT WAS LIKE A GIFT TO EVERYONE]
what was the best decision you made during the planning process?
[BESIDES PICKING THE PERFECT SPOT AND RIGHT VENDORS ... WE KEPT IT QUAINT -
WE HAD PERSONAL PET PEEVES ABOUT SPREADING OURSELVES THIN AND FOR OUR
SPECIAL DAY WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ENOUGH TIME WITH THE SPECIAL
PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES; OUR BREAKDOWN WAS THE FOLLOWING ... SAY YOU HAVE AN
EVENING CEREMONY AT 4 PM AND THE PARTY ENDS AT MIDNIGHT ... SO THAT'S
BASICALLY 7 HOURS OR TIME SPENT WITH YOUR GUESTS. THEN TAKE 1-2 HOURS OF
THAT FOR CEREMONY + PICS + ANOTHER HOUR FOR DINNER; YOU REALLY HAVE 4 HOURS
TO SPEND ENTERTAINING GUESTS AND TO GET AROUND TO EVERYONE AND ENJOY THE
PARTY. IF YOU HAVE 240 GUESTS, THAT'S A MINUTE PER GUEST, WHICH WE FELT WAS
NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR US - THAT'S HARDLY HALF A SLOW JAM PER PERSON.]
what are your best memories from your wedding?
[SINCE IT WAS QUAINT, EVERYONE REALLY KNEW EVERYONE ELSE VERY WELL - AND
WHEN YOU COMBINE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WITH ALCOHOL ... BOUNDRIES TEND TO
GET CROSSED - SEE THE ATTACHED PICS; IT WAS UNFORTUNATE (& FORTUNATE) THAT
EVERYTHING WASN'T CAUGHT ON VIDEO ...]
what advice can you give to other brides?
[TO BRIDES: MAKE SURE YOUR HUSBAND HAS A HEART LARGER THAN A BULGARIAN
LUKANKA
TO GROOMS: PICK A GOOD VENUE, A GOOD CREW AND A GOOD WIFE (WHO LAUGHS AT
ALL YOUR JOKES)
-Iliana
Elysium Productions: Contemporary & Stylish Wedding Video in Orange County & Beyond!
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